


Aftermath

by Ashabadash



Category: GreedFall (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Good ending spoilers, Grief/Mourning, Post-Game, Vasco is the best boyfriend, depressed character, if you can call that ending the good ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2019-11-15
Packaged: 2021-01-31 01:44:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21438136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashabadash/pseuds/Ashabadash
Summary: "It was when the beasts around them suddenly curled in on themselves and died, that Vasco knew something had happened."fic set immediately after the fade to black at the end of the game. Post-game spoilers for those who haven't finished the game.
Relationships: De Sardet/Vasco (GreedFall)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 50





	Aftermath

Aftermath

It was when the beasts around them suddenly curled in on themselves and died, that Vasco knew something had happened.

“Is it... over?” one young Naut asked him, turning to Vasco hoping for answers. Vasco didn’t have a response, he just knew, deep in his gut, that something wasn’t right. He looked over at Siora, who was helping up an injured fighter, and when she looked back, he knew she felt the same. She jerked her head to the top of the mountain.

“I’ll collect the others,” she said. “You go.” Vasco nodded and then ran up the hill. He passed fallen fighters as he did, dodging around different faction members. They had all come to fight together as one. To fight for this island. For their freedom. For their survival.

They came to fight because she asked them to.

He passed Petrus, who was nursing a head-wound but otherwise didn’t look too worse for wear. “Not much farther,” he called out to Vasco before bowing his head again in prayer. Vasco wondered who he was praying for exactly. _Was it her?_

He hoisted himself up onto the plateau of the volcano where _En on mil frichtimen_ stood tall. There was smoke everywhere, and he was blocked by a fallen guardian. Worry crept up into his throat as the sailor pushed past the fallen beast. Ahead, through the smoke, there was the unmistakable shadow of two bodies strewn on the ground.

“No,” he gasped, rushing to them. De Sardet lied on the ground as if she had collapsed, eyes closed. Her cheek was bruised and swollen. Next to her, Governor Constantin was sprawled out, a pool of blood seeping beneath him. Vasco saw the knife stuck in his chest and knew he didn’t need to check for the young man’s vitals. The poor lad.

Vasco then knelt beside De Sardet and took her hand in his. _Please please please_... he silently begged whatever god would listen. She was cold and limp, but when his fingers found her pulse point, he felt the slightest tremor of a heartbeat. He breathed a sigh of relief.

“De Sardet,” he tried to rouse her, his hand stroking the non-bruised cheek. “Claire...” After a moment, her eyes opened and she sat up suddenly and screamed. She looked around wildly and Vasco gripped her shoulders. “Claire! Claire, it’s me!” her eyes didn’t focus on him though but on her cousin.

“No,” she cried out, reaching out for him. “No no.... please no,” she begged as she leaned over him, hands caressing his face. “Constantin!”

Vasco didn’t say anything. He just rested his hand on her back as she cried over Constantin’s lifeless body. Behind them, Vasco could hear the footsteps of the others – their trusted companions – start to approach. He turned to them. Aphra looked shocked as what was laid out before her, surely her mind was trying to sort out the events that led to this moment. Petrus buried his face in his prayer hands once again. Kurt had fallen to his knees, his face buried in his hands, his body shaking with sobs. Siora stood above him, her hands on his shoulders in an attempt to comfort him.

“Claire,” Vasco said as he turned back to her. Her sobs had become quiet and her body shook. She turned to him then, eyes red with tears.

“Vasco,” she sighed, pulling him in close, hugging him tight and pressing her face into his neck. He hadn’t realized he was crying as well until he noticed the tears slipping off of his cheek into her hair.

“We need to go,” he said quietly to her. He needed to get her out of here, to get her to a medic, to make sure she was okay.

“I can’t leave him,” she said weakly.

“We’ll make sure someone retrieves him and brings him back,” Vasco promised, already making small movements to stand up. Claire stood with him, still holding him tight. They made it a few more steps and then her knees gave way, weak and shaken from the aftermath of it all. Vasco didn’t hesitate as he scooped her up into his arms.

“Take me home, please,” she said quietly, and he nodded, carrying her out of the volcano and away from the horrors left behind.

\------------------------------------------------

Claire De Sardet hardly ate or slept for nearly a week. She just lied in her bed, sheets tucked up under her chin, and stared out the window onto a rainy and miserable New Serene. Vasco made a few attempts to get her to eat something, but the plates of food just went untouched.

The day after the fight, Kurt spent nearly the whole day alone with her as they mourned the loss of their companion. He took it upon himself to write to Constantin’s parents and break the news to him. He also made arrangements for the funeral when the Prince and Princess arrived on the island.

“We cannot mend the pieces together until they are ready to be healed,” Siora said one evening as Vasco prepared a pot of tea. She watched sadly as Kurt worked at the desk by the bay window.

“Doesn’t mean I want to stop trying,” he responded, pouring the hot water into the pot. Life on Teer Fradee didn’t’ stop because of what happened. In actuality, it got even busier. Petrus and Aphra, thankfully, took it upon themselves to be the sounding boards from their cities, and to take on any emissary work necessary until Claire was ready. Siora insisted on staying to help in any way she could, and Vasco was grateful beyond words.

“How are you,” she asked him. “You have spent all of your efforts taking care of De Sardet, have you been taking care of you?” He sighed quietly. He wasn’t too sure of the answer himself. He had asked the Admiral for leave and she gave him all the time he wanted. But now he was lost in this storm. He didn’t know what to do with himself now except care for Claire.

“I’ll be better when things start to look up,” he said. Siora nodded in understanding. She patted his hand and then took a cup from the counter, filling it with tea and bringing it over to Kurt, replacing the one that had gone cold.

Vasco passed them as he climbed up the stairs. He knocked on the door before letting himself in. To his surprise, he didn’t find Claire tucked away in bed, hiding from the world. Instead, she had moved to the large cushioned chair by the window, wrapped in a blanket. When he walked in, she turned around to look at him. The swelling in her cheek had gone down, but her eyes were still dark. Her wrist was wrapped up in a bandage that Siora had made to help her wrist heal properly. When Vasco came in and handed her the mug of tea though, she took it gingerly, trying to hide the wince of pain from using her bad hand.

When she took a sip of tea, it was like Vasco could finally breathe again.

“How are you,” he asked, pulling up the matching ottoman so he could sit close to her. She looked away from the window and over to him, smiling sadly.

“I think...I think it’s shock,” she said, her voice cracking from disuse. “I just can’t believe....” she sighed. “I can’t believe that I’ll never see him again.... never hear his voice...” she lowered her head. Vasco gently reached out and caressed her cheek, lifting her chin gently so she could look at him again.

“He’ll never be truly gone, you know,” Vasco said. She smiled sadly. “He lives in your heart, and in your memories. His legacy lives on with you.” She leaned into his touch and closed her eyes.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“Of course, love,” he replied. They sat their quietly for a moment, her hand grasping his. As they did, the rain outside began to calm, and a sliver of light started to shine through the dark clouds.

“Can you stay tonight,” Claire asked. Vasco nodded.

“I’ll do whatever you wish,” he said honestly. She smiled and turned her head, kissing his palm.

“Thank you.”

\--------------------------------------

_“I did this for you! For us!” Constantin called out as the world rushed around them. De Sardet tried to call out to him, to reason with him, but she couldn't. He reached his hand out to her. “Join me, my darling cousin,” he pleaded. “Don’t leave me.” _

Claire sat up in bed with a gasp, her skin sleep with sweat, her cheeks salty with tears. It took her a moment to remember that she was in her home in New Serene, that she was safe. She looked beside her to see that Vasco was still asleep, his arm lazily lied across her lap. It took a moment for her breathing to even out, but once it did, she quietly slipped from the bed and out from under his arm. She padded across the room to her wash basin which was filled with water. She took a handful and splashed her face, wiping away the sweat and tears.

She wanted to scream, and if it wasn’t out of respect for her lover sleeping restfully in the bed behind her, she probably would. How could Constantin do this to her? How could he leave her like he did? How could he have thought this was the only way to survive? She had been so close to helping him... to helping everyone...

Vasco turned over in the bed and Claire looked up at him through the mirror in front of her. Good graces she loved him. She didn’t deserve the love and patience he had given her. Her hands shook for a moment as the adrenaline from her burst of anger subsided. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The world still moved on in the aftermath of her cousin’s death. She knew it was time to move on as well, to at least start making movements in the direction of healing.

She placed the washcloth next to the basin and moved back to her side of the bed. She slipped silently into the bed and turned to face Vasco, taking his arm and wrapping it around her waist. Here she felt safe and at home.

“Everything alright?” he asked, voice still filled with sleep, eyes still closed. Claire reached out and traced the tattoo lines on his chin and cheek. 

“Yes,” she said quietly. “Thank you for being here.”

“I have no aspiration to be anywhere rather than by your side,” he said, kissing her fingers. “For now, go to sleep. Tomorrow we will take on the new day.”

“Together?”

“Together, for as long as you’ll have me.” Claire smiled as she curled in close to Vasco, pressing her head to his chest.

Her heart still ached for the loss of her cousin, and she imagined it would be a painful memory for a long time. But for now, in this aftermath of battle, or pain and loss, she knew she wasn’t alone. And as long as she wasn’t alone, she could take on anything.


End file.
